Multi-omic assessment shows dysregulation of pulmonary and systemic immunity to e-cigarette exposure.

Introduction:
This text is a research article that examines the effects of electronic cigarette (E-cigarette) exposure on the lung and immune system. The study focuses on the effects of a common E-cigarette base, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PGVG), with and without the addition of phytol, a diterpene alcohol found in commercial products.

Key Points:

* The study exposed animals to PGVG with and without phytol and assessed metabolite, lipid, and transcriptional markers in the lung.
* Both lung-specific and systemic effects were found in immune parameters, metabolites, and lipids.
* Phytol drove modest changes in lung function and increased splenic CD4 T cell populations.
* a multi-omic data integration was conducted to better understand early complex pulmonary responses, highlighting a central enhancement of acetylcholine responses and downregulation of palmitic acid.
* PGVG exposure led to the upregulation of multiple Lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) and Lysophosphatidylethanol (LysoPE) species compared to Fa control.
* PGVG + phytol exposure resulted in only a few differentially regulated lipids, with a specific ceramide downregulated in phytol compared to Fa, along with palmitic acid.
* PGVG exposure led to higher isobutyric acid, tryptophan, and aMP levels in PGVG compared to Fa, while proline and TMaO were downregulated.
* PGVG + phytol exposure led to a significant upregulation of MUC5B, a regulator of mucin production in the airways.

Main Message:
The study demonstrates that E-cigarette exposure not only leads to changes in pulmonary function but also affects systemic immune and metabolic parameters. The addition of phytol to PGVG resulted in different effects on lipids, metabolites, and genes, highlighting the complex interplay between various components of E-cigarettes. These findings suggest the need for further research to better understand the potential health effects of E-cigarette use and the role of specific additives in these effects.

Scieszka DP, Garland D, hunter R, et al. Multi-omic assessment shows dysregulation of pulmonary and systemic immunity to e-cigarette exposure. Respiratory research. 2023;24(1):138. doi:10.1186/s12931-023-02441-2